WASHINGTON – Today the Senate Appropriations Committee released its amendment to the House Continuing Resolution, H.J. Res. 59. The full text of the amendment is here. U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in support of the amendment:

"The amendment filed today will clear out the toxic political items in the House Continuing Resolution (CR). It strikes the Affordable Care Act defunding rider and debt limit rider. The President has said he will veto any bill that includes these riders. Such riders were included by the House for the sole purpose of causing more gridlock and a government shutdown.

The amendment also shortens the duration of the CR. It changes the end date from December 15th to November 15th because a longer CR would only mean more government on autopilot and more government dysfunction. The November 15th date keeps the pressure on to get the deal needed to cancel sequester so Congress gets to work and enacts fiscally responsible appropriations bills that invest in Americans today and in America’s future.

I oppose the House Continuing Resolution. It’s not a good faith effort to keep the government open and working for Americans. Instead, it’s a shutdown, slamdown politics bill loaded with politically-motivated riders. It takes away health care from those who need it most by defunding the Affordable Care Act. And it undermines the full faith and credit of the United States with a debt limit rider.

I believe the people of Maryland and all Americans deserve a government on their side. That’s why I support the Senate Amendment to the Continuing Resolution. It does what a CR is meant to do. It is a short-term, straight-forward and simple resolution designed to keep the United States government open and functioning while we work out our difficulties. That's what a Continuing Resolution is meant to be.

A government shutdown is a serious matter. Shutting down our government is irresponsible for our citizens, for our economy and for our future. But that’s what will happen if we don’t come together across the aisle, across the dome and across town to pass a clean, short-term CR.

The amendment provides a path forward to drawing down public debt while also maintaining an opportunity to be pro-growth in our country. That’s how we’ll come to agreement on funding the government so we can focus on important issues of national security, rebuilding America’s infrastructure, and rebuilding our human infrastructure by investing in our educational system and research and development. That’s how we’ll come up with the new ideas that will lead to the new jobs. That’s how we’ll get America ready for the next generation."